Archives for March 2016

Skiing is no longer a sport for those with bags of cash and with so many new places popping up that offer skiing holidays the prices now vary to suit peoples budgets. There are several places in the World to ski but Europe has by far the best range of slopes and ski resorts to spend your vacation. Here we run down the top 4 places in Europe for your skiing vacation.

France

For many years France has been the pinnacle fro European skiing, the Alps mountain range offers some of the greatest and most varied slopes in the World and it houses some beautiful towns and villages to enjoy your holiday. If you want to enjoy a ski holiday in France then the places that you should be looking at are; Chamonix, varied slopes and adventures on the side of Mont Blanc; Tignes, a resort that offers glaciers and lakes as well as great pistes, and Courchevel, a lively resort with a whole range of winter sports on offer. French ski holidays are generally a little pricier but with good reason, great snow quality and an industry that has operated for years at high standards.

Italy

On the other side of the Alps, Italy has certainly gained it’s place amongst the best places to ski in the World, the apes-ski scene in Italy is fantastic and combines beautiful Italian culture with great options for skiers of all abilities. Italy’s resorts are generally a little cheaper than in France but the quality is just as high in terms of the snow, the service and the standard of resorts. The top places to head to in Italy right now are; Courmayeur, Livigno and Andalo, 3 resorts that offer a wide range of slopes and beautiful landscapes with excellent accommodation options and lively atmospheres.

Croatia

Not always known for it’s ski resorts, Croatia has grown rapidly in popularity over recent years as people look further afield for their skiing holidays. One of the main draws of Croatia is that compared to it’s European counterparts it is incredibly cheap, from ski and clothing hire to food and drink, a ski holiday in Croatia will cost you significantly less than in places like France, Italy and Austria. The ski resorts in Croatia are easily accesible and often near big cities which means you can combine your ski holiday with a city break. The slopes in Croatia are not equal in standard to the Alps but they offer more than enough quality for a great ski holiday. The best resorts right now are Delnice, Mrkopalj and Cavle, all of them are great budget options for your next holiday.

Switzerland

The Swiss possess arguably the best side of the Alps mountain range and with that some of the best ski slopes in the World. The resorts around the base and side of the Matterhorn mountain are widely considered to be the best in the World and the slopes vary in range but have an emphasis on the black slopes for advanced skiers. The Swiss attitude to apres-ski is somewhat more relaxed to the French and Italians with less parties and more chilling out. Switzerland can be expensive for a ski holiday but this is due to the high quality of snow and accommodation on offer coupled with the fact that in general Switzerland is an expensive country to stay in. Zermatt and Verbier are two of Switzerland’s most prestigious and renowned resorts.

What kind of thing are you looking for with your vacations this year? Sun, city, adventure? Well if you’re struggling for ideas then fear not as we bring you the top 3 picks in Europe for your vacations this year. Even if you have an idea for what or where you want to go, perhaps this list might give you some further inspiration.

Dubrovnik

The Croatian city of Dubrovnik sits on the stunning coastline of the Adriatic Sea and the city boasts a perfect blend of sea and city. The beaches in Dubrovnik are massively underrated and the sea here is crystal clear, add to that the warm climate for a large part of the year and you have a perfect beach holiday. Dubrovnik doesn’t stop there and it’s walled medieval city is enchanting, with historical relics and buildings, a tranquil pedestrian-only ‘Old Town’ filled with bars, cafes and nightspots and locals that can’t wait to help you out. Each day in Dubrovnik is different and it will make a great location for your vacation this year.

Tenerife

For the perfect sunshine break Tenerife is the destination you should be looking at, this island in the Mediterranean Sea sits perfectly poised in-between Spain and West-Africa and is blessed with a hot climate all year. The island is famed for it’s beaches which offer a variety of sands from black, yellow and snow-white. The island is designed around tourism with several beautiful hotels and plenty of activities to do. The island is dominated by the huge volcano of Mount Teide which can be scaled to offer fantastic views of this beautiful island, Tenerife also houses the World’s largest water park which is a sight to behold, perfect for when you need to cool off. You can get discount holidays at Monster.Travel for many sunny destinations in Europe including the Canary Isle of Tenerife.

Berlin

For a perfect city getaway, look no further than the German capital Berlin, a relaxed city that is steeped in history and packed with entertainment. If you are a history buff then you will love Berlin’s museums and homages to it’s dark past, places such as the iconic Brandenburg Gate, still-standing fragments of the Berlin Wall and the Reichstag Building are great places to visit. Berlin has a vibrant art scene that can be seen throughout the city, from it’s architecture to it’s trendy bars and cafes which give the city a very cool edge. The Berlin way of life is relaxed and it is a beautiful city to wander through. The food and drinks options here are fantastic with a whole variety of restaurants, lounge bars and food stalls selling international and local cuisine. If you’re looking for a city break without the mayhem then Berlin is where you should be heading this year.

Europe has some of the best destinations for vacations and if you wish to travel a little then it is the perfect continent to do so with many countries being in such close proximity to one another. Wherever you end up, have a great vacation this year!

Once the playground to the World’s rich and famous, Dubai has become far more accesible in recent years to the average tourist looking for a different type of holiday. Dubai screams luxury with incredible hotels, amazing services and fantastic tourist attractions that are bigger, better and slightly more unique than anywhere else in the World. Dubai loves to be ostentatious and with so much money in this part of the World, they can afford to create the craziest and most unique places to visit. Here are my top 5 unique places where you can see the attractions in Dubai.

Indoor Ski Slope

A climate such as that in Dubai means that the presence of snow is near impossible, not to worry though as they have built one of the most incredible indoor snow-parks that you are ever likely to see. In the vast Emirates shopping centre is Ski Dubai, a park that features an 85-metre indoor ‘mountain’ with 5 ski slopes of varying levels of difficulty. Add to that some half-pipes and jumps for the adventurous types and a few penguins roaming about and you have one of Dubai’s most surreal experiences.

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is officially the World’s tallest building, standing at a gargantuan 828-metres tall this huge structure offers the greatest views of this outstanding city. At the peak of this monumental building is an observation deck where visitors can enjoy 360 degree views over Dubai and they have recently opened a new ‘spiral’ feature of a 36 step spiral staircase to fully appreciate the view. Visitors can also enjoy a meal in the restaurant on the observation deck before heading back down to ground level.

The Miracle Garden

Dubai never wishes to be outdone and when it built the mesmerising Miracle Garden they had this ethos in mind. The garden is the largest collection of flowers and plants in the World and it is a truly fantastic place to visit whether you have green fingers or not. With over 45 million plants and flowers of varying colours the Miracle Garden assembles them in stunning shapes and decorative patterns that change depending on current topics themes.

Stay Underwater

Nothing is impossible in Dubai and the Water Discus Hotel is evidence of this, this Jetsons stye design features hotel rooms that are submerged below the depths and will give guests an unparalleled view of the sea from a solid glass wall. The hotel is expected to be completed in early 2017 and will be the first of it’s kind. Imagine being able to watch fish swim above your head as you relax in the comfort of your bed, it doesn’t get much better than that and this insane design will give a new meaning to the term ‘sleeping with the fishes.’

Watch Movies in 6D

In the Oasis shopping mall they have created a 6-D cinema, an experience that along with 3D adds motion, air and water to give you a truly sensory experience. The cinema shows movies that take you on journeys through space and the prehistoric period and allows you to feel the sensation of the objects like you are truly there. This is a crazy experience and one that is not for the feint of heart.

Rome is not only capital of Italy but home to the once all conquering Roman Empire, whilst it is considerably smaller than it once was, this city is packed with amazing attractions and fun things to see and do. This huge city is graced with thousands of years of art, culture and influence from some of the greatest minds that have ever existed and if you are visiting this phenomenal city any time soon then here are my top 4 things to do there.

Colosseum

Rome’s iconic amphitheatre is the largest ever built and to this day, whilst having suffered from slow decay, still stands tall as one of Rome’s greatest landmarks. The Colosseum used to be used for gladiator fights in times gone by where men were forced to fight with lions before thousands of screaming locals and the Caesar. The amphitheatre was also used for shows and public displays and today you are able to wander around the vast structure and get an experience of what it was like back then, this should be at the top of your list when visiting Rome.

Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is situated in Vatican City, the official home of the Pope and was designed around the middle of the 15th century. The fame of the Chapel is in it’s intricately designed paintings by the World-famous artist Michelangelo who’s depictions of Jesus and parables from the bible adorn many of it’s walls and it’s famous ceiling. The roof of the Sistine Chapel is surreal to see, the level of quality and perfect design in the paintings are simply breathtaking. The building itself is amazing to walk around, there are tiny conclaves and stairways leading to hidden away places within the chapel and the main hall is truly stunning. Well worth a visit if you’re hitting Rome.

Eat Pizza

A trip to Italy and especially Rome simply wouldn’t be complete without enjoying one of their greatest ever inventions, the Pizza. These days we are used to buying pizza in boxes or chain restaurants but in Rome, it is the real deal served up by locals who know best. Throughout this city you will find pizza restaurants and stalls that hand craft their own dough before stretching it out before your eyes and adding some of the freshest ingredients that you can think of before placing it into traditional pizza ovens and serving you one of the dreamiest pizzas that you’ve ever tasted. Pizza places here are like museums, tourist attractions and restaurants rolled into one and once you’ve had a taste you’ll be back in no time.

Galleria Borghesse

Rome is home to globally inspired art and is often considered the home of the renaissance movement, one should therefore hit an art museum and they don’t come better than the Borghesse Gallery. The museum is set in the beautiful Borghesse gardens and houses works from both Italian and International renaissance painters. The gallery also displays ancient religious texts and sculptures and the hours simply disappear in front of you when you visit this stunning building. There are several tours available in the museum that will give you the best understanding of the art in the museum and I recommend that if you hit any art museum, that it is this one.

Where is on your bucket list?

We write about once-in-a-lifetime experiences from around the world – everything from the greatest festivals to visit, to the best foods to eat and the simple must-see destinations from this wonderful planet.